


Heartlandia

by AuroraFantasy, Sneech



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Alternate Universe, Background Character Death, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Dubious Morality, Gen, Monster of the Week, Monsters, Psychological Horror, Transformation, Unethical Experimentation, cosmic horror
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 18:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14857659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraFantasy/pseuds/AuroraFantasy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sneech/pseuds/Sneech
Summary: Heartland City has a rumor dating back thousands of years that every hundred years, giant, vicious monsters known as the Numbers come to attack and wreak havoc on the residents. Some swear to the truth of the legend, others say it's just a tourist grab.Yuma Tsukumo has two things that set him apart from everyone else: his Lucky Key he found in his dad's attic six years ago, and Astral, a friend that only he can see. When Astral suddenly becomes solid one day, Yuma finds out there is a lot more truth to the Legend of the Numbers cursing Heartland than he ever anticipated.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Long time no post! The reason I haven't been active in the past 10 months is because I've been working on this. It's entirely outlined, and we just about have the first quarter of the entire thing finished, so I figured it was time to actually post. I'm very excited to finally be sharing this, so I hope you'll give it a read.

That day was like any other autumn afternoon in Heartland; quiet yet busy, and distinctly warm for the time of year.

Heartland city was an isolated one: a peninsula with a mountain range on the side serving as its only connection to the mainland. However, the geography only seemed to attract newcomers, not turn them away. The high technological advancements lead by well-renowned scientists not found in the rest of Japan promised a high future for prospectors, which had lead to a boom of life in the past 50 years.

That, and the legends.

 Or, at least, many thought they were legends -- it was said that every one hundred years, tragedy struck Heartland in the form of monsters. The few who'd lived in the city for generations swore to the validity of it; but to the several newcomers, it seemed little more than a fantastical story.

 The city had been built up by a believer, though; a man who went by the moniker of Dr. Faker. As a precaution, all buildings in the town had dome installations that would erect with the push of a button in the event of an attack. This had an opposite result than desired; even more people were attracted to the city to see the spectacle of these domes for the supposed monster attacks.

 There were also believers on the opposite end of the spectrum; quiet cults who believed the monsters were doing a holy duty. Among these cultists was Heartland’s mayor, who sung the praises of the soon-to-be-arriving saviors.

 Through all the technology, the talks of monsters, and the fear of a century on the horizon, Heartland City was still just that: a city, with residents living their lives. Families. Children who attended school and lived everyday lives without any care in the world about monsters or cults.

 Yuma Tsukumo was one of these very children on this autumn afternoon; at the age of thirteen, he was happy-go-lucky child with two parents, a nagging older sister, a grandmother, and all the friends a boy could ask for.

 The son of a believer, Yuma’s father warned him to never walk around Heartland alone. Yuma felt his father was overreacting, but indulged him anyways. After all, Yuma may have been just a kid in a big city, but he was a special kid: he had his lucky key! And with this key had come his special friend only he could see, Astral.

 His family had been concerned about Astral since Yuma had first met him when he was 6, but they didn't do much to keep Yuma from contacting him. Despite that, Yuma had known in their seven years of friendship that Astral was good and he could trust him.

 Yuma held his head high as he walked home on this autumn afternoon. There was a warmth in the colors of the sky. The trees all still had a vivid green to them as well. An odd siren sound went off at the end of school which nobody knew the reason for, but Yuma was sure things were going in a good direction regardless. After all, he’d managed to get a C on his math test!

 "Isn't that great, Astral?” He asked as he held his key. “My mom’s gonna be so proud of me!”

 “Come on, Yuma,” Kotori replied as she walked ahead. “We’re halfway done with our first year of middle school already.” She stopped and turned around to look at him, their friend Tetsuo still walking onward. “It was one thing when we were little kids, but don't you think you're too old for imaginary friends by now?”

 “He's not imaginary! He's from my key!” Yuma was starting a fight he knew he'd lose, as he did most afternoons, but he didn't care.

 Tetsuo put his arms behind his head as he looked back at the two. “And Heartland is going to be attacked by monsters any day now, right?”

 “Hey, now,” came the voice of Rio Kamishiro as she caught up to the others, her twin brother Ryouga following close behind. “Lay off him. If Yuma says Astral is real, then he's real.” She smiled to Yuma. “That's all there is too it.”

 “I'm glad _someone_ believes me,” Yuma responded, grinning. He turned to look at Ryouga, close behind. “What's up, Shark? Don't you guys have tutoring today?”

 “He cancelled,” Shark answered, a slight annoyance in his tone. “I could have used it, too.”

 Rio grabbed her brother’s shoulder, smiling teasingly. “Come on, Ryouga. It's a nice day out. We can get tutored any day.” She turned to look at the others. “Since it's nice out, we should go to the park to play!”

 “Yes! That's my Rio,” Kotori cheered in excitement at the proposition.

 Yuma bounced up where he was standing. “Alright! Let’s ra-”

 A loud, otherworldly scream forced its way through the ears of the children, the ground shaking below them. Soon after, a flash of blue met their eyes, stunning them momentarily.

 "Is everyone okay?” Yuma slowly stood up after being knocked to the ground during the event. He was not met with answers, but his friends staring wide-eyed at him in horror. Tetsuo lifted a shaking finger, evidently speechless.

 “W-what's wrong? You all look like you've seen a…” What Yuma saw as he turned around surprised him too much to allow him to finish.

 A glowing, blue form hovered over the children with a stoic look upon its face. The others had never seen anything like it before, but it was a form Yuma had grown all too familiar with.

Astral, Yuma’s so-called imaginary friend, was now solid.


	2. Number 28: Titanic Moth

**PART I: ATTACHMENT**

 

Kaito Tenjo watched as the strangely-colored liquid filled the glass syringe between his fingers. It was a part of his daily ritual to give his younger brother, Haruto, his medication - but that didn't mean he liked doing it, or even understood why he had to do it at all.

The young man had a fair share of scientific knowledge from his upbringing as a scientist’s eldest son. He’d run tests on Haruto behind his father’s back, but the results only served to show that Haruto was a normal child. Furthermore, any and all tests he’d done to discern the nature of the substance he was forced to inject into his brother were inconclusive through and through. When he confronted his father about this, he was met with rambles of how Haruto was “chosen”, and it would “make sense” when the Numbers finally came.

The Numbers. The monsters Kaito’s father, and his father’s father, and  _ his _ father had all devoted their lives to, in a chain seeming to go as far back as the Tenjo bloodline itself. Kaito was a special case: his father did not raise him to carry on researching them after him, but, rather, to fight and kill them once and for all. Several nights throughout his childhood and adolescence were sleepless at the idea of actually taking on one of those... things he'd seen illustrated in his ancestors’ notes. Deep down, Kaito had always hoped against his better judgment that the talk on the street was right and they were just an urban legend.

Unbeknownst to him as he filled the syringe, however, was that today was the day said hope was to be crushed - right along with his father’s body.

Shouts could be heard coming through the walls to the clinical room at the top of Heartland Tower where his brother was kept under quarantine. Byron Arclight, a former research partner had stopped by for the first time in about five years. Haruto nervously shifted in his chair and turned away, upset from the noise.

“Don't worry, everything will be fine,” Kaito assured in a hushed tone, to no response from Haruto. It was, unfortunately, to be expected: the more of his medication he took, the quieter and less outwardly responsive the once cheerful child was. As Kaito finished wiping down Haruto’s arm for his daily injection, he paused to listen to the exchange from the other room.

“You don't know what you're doing, Faker. There's a lot more to this than you -”

“I have a much better idea of what is going on than you, Byron. My family has been at this for  _ centuries _ . Three generations have been researching this limb  _ alone _ \- we've gathered all the information we needed on it by itself and this was the next logical step.”

“There is nothing logical about shooting the hundred year old DNA of a Number into your  _ child _ , Faker!” This statement from Byron alone was enough to cause Kaito to drop the syringe in shock, the now-identified liquid splashing on the floor beneath him.

There wasn't even time to acknowledge the mess when, as if on cue, a loud crash erupted from the next room over, followed by horrified screams from the two men. As Kaito was about to see what happened, he heard a screech from Haruto.

He turned to see his brother sitting upright on the table, his face frozen in a contorted manner. The wide eyed, gaping mouth horror on the boy’s face only lasted for a second before he fell unconscious, however. As Kaito checked Haruto’s pulse to make sure he was still alive, a blood curdling scream erupted from his father in the next room over. His instincts kicked in and he rushed through the door. What he was met with was something his training could never have prepared him for.

Through the settling debris, Kaito could make out a giant, moth-like creature looming over a newly-made hole in the roof.  The beast had to be the size of the tower itself. It had a segmented white body, with sharply defined joints and forms that made it look too perfect, decidedly wrong against the city skyline.  Its wingspan was garishly yellow, adorned with the same dark circles as its body, and unmoving - the beast simply hovered there, suspended. Its arms were the most unsettling, though - thin, sinewy arms that ended in long-fingered human hands.  

In an instant, those long, spindly arms extended out to the stunned Dr. Faker and took a hold of him with a hand, dextrous and deliberate in a way that such an abomination simply  _ shouldn’t _ be. It lifted the man off the ground, deaf to his screams, and made quick work of him: squeezing his body with such force that the harsh snap of bones cracking was simultaneous with the sickening  _ squish _ that sent blood gushing outward to coat Kaito and Byron. It then proceeded to use its other hand to scoop up the man-pulp in its hand and drop it into its now-open mouth, chomping satisfied with needle-sharp teeth.

Paralysis crashed down on Kaito as all he could do was watch in horror. Seeing illustrations of the monsters in books was one thing. Watching a living, breathing one in the flesh was another entirely. In that moment, Kaito was sure of one thing and one thing alone: he was going to die.

Fate had a different idea, though. Kaito did not die; though he came close. Byron barely managed to push Kaito out of the way from a second attack by the beast. However, it came with a cost. 

Byron doubled over in pain, blood seeping freely through the fingers of a hand clamped over his face. His eye. The monster had gotten his left eye. These actions were enough to wake Kaito up and remember his training. He rolled over to the other side of the room, ever so slightly out of the Number’s reach, and hit a switch that set off a loud siren.

“Go get Haruto.” It wasn't a request, it was a command: perhaps one as an incentive to make sure Byron survived the attack as well. He sure wouldn't if he stayed there. “Take him to a lower level of the tower. It doesn't matter where.”

Byron weakly looked up and nodded as he made his way towards the door. Kaito hit a button on his torso, which activated his Numbers Hunting gear. A metal clamp came around his chest, wing-like appendages attaching to his shoulder blades. Above where his heart would be appeared an extension like that of a crossbow. Kaito quickly pulled a metal shard out of his pocket and loaded it into the weaponry.

In a matter of moments, Kaito was dashing and leaping into the air toward the monster. He faced difficulty with the limited space he had, but managed to make his way through the hole in the roof and into the skies.  He had a better view of monster from outdoors, and began shooting at it. The Number swatted Kaito’s first several shots out of the way, though, leaving Kaito to have to dodge panickedly for his life. 

Despite his training giving him skills, Kaito was still clearly outmatched. He’d managed to land himself at the top of Heartland Tower, but the beast’s claws were already grabbing at the building. A few minor holes of flesh had appeared where a shard had pierced the Number, but nothing did substantial damage.

He was cornered. In any second, the creature itself would be at the top of the tower and it would do to Kaito what it had done to his father. It was do or die, literally. 

Kaito chose to do.

He dashed forward, loading his crossbow yet again, and kept steady as he shot a shard of metal straight between the monstrous moth’s eyes. It let out a piercing scream followed by a blue flash as its body dissolved before Kaito. Once it had dissipated immediately, Kaito glided back to the safety of Heartland Tower.

***

Kaito rushed Byron to his home over his shoulder. Haruto had lost consciousness in the attack, and was being monitored while Kaito attended to current matters. Bryon writhed into Kaito, struggling to grasp his head.

“Don't move so much unless you want to die.”

Byron tried his hardest to stay still as Kaito glided. He had no idea how, but it seemed Kaito still had a perfect memory of the Arclight Estate’s location despite the several years of not visiting it. The two soon arrived there, and Byron was rushed inside.

Byron stumbled into the large mansion, grunting and gasping in pain as he once again grasped his eye. Kaito held him upright as he guided the man to the laboratory under his direction and set him down. Kaito hadn't bothered to alert the residents of their arrival. He didn't need to, anyway; hearing the loud commotion of Byron’s struggles, the three brothers quickly made their ways to the lab.

Kaito wasn't sure what he was expecting, nor was he sure  _ why  _ he was not expecting the young man before him as he looked to who had entered the laboratory. 

“Chris…?”

Christopher Arclight was the oldest of Byron’s three sons, who’d often accompanied him on trips to Heartland Tower before Kaito’s father snapped. It was almost laughable how much Kaito’s state had deteriorated in the years, though he'd never admit it; back then, Chris was on his mind constantly. Yet, everything Kaito’d been through since his training began made him almost forget Chris’ existence until now.

“Kaito,” a surprised Christopher started. “Kaito, it's been years.”

“Things have changed,” Kaito said bluntly as he gestured toward Byron. “They've started. They got your father.”

Christopher ran to his father, hands furiously inspecting the wound.

“This… this doesn't look like anything I've ever seen on a human before.”

Christopher continued to prod at his barely conscious father’s eye, looking to see if he could find some semblance of an earthly explanation to it. In the meantime, Kaito looked to the two concerned young men in the room.

“How rude of me,” Christopher started as he got up from his position. “Kaito, I'm sure I told you about my younger brothers when our fathers researched together. This is Thomas, the eldest after me, and our youngest, Michael.”

“...Nice to meet you,” Kaito forced out, preferring to discuss the issue at hand with Chris than go through pleasantries.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Michael nervously replied, his gaze going to his father instead of Kaito.

A horrified Thomas, on the other hand, was less subtle. “W-What the fuck happened over there?”

Byron’s left eye had stopped bleeding at this point; in its place, a deep red, bordering on purple infection had started blooming as Christopher worked to clean the wound.

Kaito turned away from the others as he offered a frank answer.

“The Numbers happened.”

A stiffness overcame the room, no further need for explanation.

“...What do we do know?” Michael backed away, the anxiety in his form surpassing the critical max it was already at and causing him to stumble.

“Our options are fight or die,” Kaito answered as he leaned back on the desk he was standing near. “You can choose whatever you want. I'm going to fight.”

Kaito’s answer did nothing to calm the distressed Michael, whose leg muscles had finally given out as he fell to the floor, paralyzed. Kaito vaguely heard Thomas go to comfort him, but for the most part he focused his attention to Christopher.

“You're expecting me to say that I'm going to fight, too, aren't you?” Christopher said, still looking at his father’s wound. “My body isn't trained like yours is for this. If you're looking for a partner in hunting, you're in the wrong place. However.” He stood up, finished with what he could do for his father for the time being. “I have a personal grudge against these beings now, and I know you do too. I’ll help you with researching them to find a cure for my father’s infection, along with a way to potentially fight them better.”

Kaito smiled as he extended a hand. “I'll take what I can get.”

Christopher met Kaito’s hand for a firm shake. As it happened, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate. Michael’s heart rate went back to normal, and he was finally able to stand with the help of his brother. For the first time that day, there seemed to be hope. 

It almost seemed as if the travesty falling before them could be prevented, even if just for a moment.

***

Kaito collected the scattered papers across his desk and put them back into their original folder, grabbing the next one to look over information he needed to forward to Christopher. He pulled out his mug - what coffee was he on, at this point? Did it even matter? - and took a look at the time. “7:00” flashed across the clock screen, though Kaito didn't know if it stood for AM or PM. He couldn't remember the last time he slept. Part of him was too afraid to ever fall asleep again, if he was being honest.

His fear certainly wasn't quelled by the fact that Haruto hadn't woken since that encounter with the Number. Kaito ran tests to see if he could find information, but all results simply pointed to Haruto just being in a deep sleep. The limb from the Number whose DNA was being shot into the child had already been forwarded to Chris as well, in a hope there was a way to reverse the effects of the toll that had taken on his body.

At the very least, Chris was able to contact an old acquaintance who had also been researching the Numbers to monitor Heartland and run the siren system. That responsibility being lifted alone gave Kaito  _ some  _ stress relief, even if minor.

As Kaito rubbed the bag under his eye and prepared to get more coffee, the door to his personal lab was opened.

“Kaito? Are you in here?”

Kaito turned around at the call of his name, knowing he'd heard the voice several times but forgetting the owner in his exhaustion. It was almost a shock to see the blond figure at the door; though it had only been days since their last encounter, it felt like years with everything Kaito had been through. 

“Mizael…?”

“Glad to see you remember me.” There was a sad smile on Mizael’s face as he stood in the doorway. “I haven't heard from you in three days. I was starting to get worried.”

Twelve years ago, Mizael had been just a child when he had moved from China to Heartland. Living near Kaito, Mizael’s only living relative was his grandfather after his parents died in a fire. Though Kaito was homeschooled and Mizael wasn’t, the two became fast friends. Mizael was there when Haruto was born, when the Tenjos’ mother died, and when the training had began. It wasn't long until he was Kaito’s first kiss, and soon more.

“I've been busy,” Kaito responded, slowly getting up and leaning into a hug. “Haruto hasn't woken up since what happened, so I've been focusing on finding out what to send to Chris.”

Mizael frowned as he held Kaito, turning his head to look at him. “Don't work so hard.”

Kaito pulled away slightly in surprise, which caused Mizael to continue.

“I know how important what you're undertaking is, but…”

“But what?”

“But I don't want you to become your father.” Mizael sighed as he turned away. “Kaito, there was something…  _ wrong  _ about him. He was too obsessed with his work, and I really fear what damage he’s done to you and Haru -”

Kaito planted a quick kiss on Mizael’s cheek in an attempt to ease his stress. “I understand. Believe me, I don't want to become that either. But the sooner I can screen this information and send it to Chris, the sooner I can be done working so hard.” A soft smile eased up on Kaito’s lips as he turned Mizael to face him with his hand. “When this is all over, we can go on a nice, long trip to the mountains and stay in my family villa. Just you, me, and Haruto. You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

Mizael sighed again, more relieved as he returned the smile. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

Mizael embraced Kaito momentarily, showing his appreciation before pulling away. “I knew you were going to be doing something like this, so I took the day off to take care of things here, by the way. It's a good thing, too. It looks like you haven't eaten in days.”

Kaito made a small laugh as he followed Mizael to the kitchen, falling asleep soon after. His sweet slumber remained uninterrupted until the blaring sound of the siren went off in the late afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The best thing about horror fanfiction is I can kill all the characters I hated in canon.  
> If Kaito and Mizael aren't romantically involved in some capacity, can it really be considered a fic by me?


	3. Number 14: Greedy Sarameya

From that moment onward, Yuma’s life was permanently changed - whether he knew how far it would go or not. Though it was hard not to get a hint with the constant screaming everywhere he went. It had only been a few days, but Yuma was already starting to adjust to the ostracism he'd faced from people's’ fears of him collaborating with the Numbers. What he wasn't used to, however, was the way Astral had changed since becoming solid. 

Astral had always been a bit of a serious sort, but he’d still been fun to hang around with. He was curious and smart, with a bit of a sharp tongue at times; he and Yuma had spent hours and hours talking and learning from each other and playing games.  Astral had been a constant companion throughout Yuma’s life, and he knew him almost as well as he knew himself...or at least, he had before.

Becoming solid had entirely changed Astral’s personality.  His expressions had hardened, eyes glassy and lips always pressed into a thin line.  He never talked about any of the things they used to anymore, and when Yuma prompted him to he quickly changed the subject.  The subject on Astral’s mind was always the same: the “mission”. Of course, Yuma had no idea what this was. His friend would not elaborate much, either, responding to any questions of Yuma’s with his own about where the Numbers were “so that they could be eliminated”.  

Astral grew more restless each day, making Yuma frustrated and scared.  He wished Astral would just start acting like himself again, solid or not. Yuma knew Astral’s behavior wasn’t doing Astral many favors as well.   

There was also the matter of his appearance. The subtle glow Astral had when he wasn’t visible had vanished, leaving in its place clear, glassy skin that made Yuma less than comfortable to look at.

Regardless, Yuma was stuck with him. He'd always felt a discomfort when he took the key off before. Neck rashes were the most common form; however, they were nothing too severe. Now, taking the key off was downright suffocating. 

This did nothing to help Yuma’s dwindling popularity, to say the least. His friends that were readily available prior seemed to suddenly have near-constant plans. Not that they really needed excuses; the implications were obvious, and he couldn't say he wanted to be in this situation, either.

Adding onto the seemingly endless list of difficulties Yuma had thrust upon him were his father’s strict rules about going out alone that had only served to get stricter. Yuma was absolutely never allowed outside alone now, and because his friends were avoidant he had to come straight home from school. Half the time his family stayed in the room with him more than usual, too - nobody trusted Yuma to be alone with Astral anymore.

He was sitting in his living room on one such afternoon when he heard a complaint from his sister in the kitchen.

“Huh? Oh, shoot.” Akari wrapped herself around the corner wall and called upstairs. “Grandma, we’re out of eggs. Should I run and get some more, or do you want to do something besides omurice for dinner tonight?”

Yuma's head perked up at the question. “I can get eggs!”

“ _ You’re  _ not going anywhere,” Akari retorted. “It's way too dangerous for you to go out with the Numbers around.” She pointed an accusatory finger at Astral, who was staring blankly out the window as if he was a statue. “Especially with  _ him  _ following you everywhere.”

“She's right, Yuma,” their mother, Mirai Tsukumo said as she looked up from her writing. “We don't have nearly enough information on your key for you to be going out alone. We don't know what would happen if it came into contact with a Number.”

“But-”

“No ‘buts’,” Akari chided as she grabbed her wallet and Yuma sank into the couch. “I'll be back in a half hour.”

In the time it took for Akari to get ready and grab her things, Yuma slithered over to the chair next to the one their mother was in at the dining room table.

“Moooom,” he beckoned.

“Whaaaat,” Mirai answered in an identical tone, not looking up from her writing.

“You and dad always said if the Numbers ever did show up that it'd be better if I went out with an adult than another kid.” He made small gestures with his fingers on the table.

“That we have.” Mirai knew where he was getting at, but was waiting for him to ask the question outright before answering.

“Akari is an adult,” Yuma continued, his voice dragging on. 

“That she is.”

“Well,” his fingers continued to circle the table, getting progressively larger. “Do you think I could go on errands with her?”

“I’m already almost out the door,” Akari called out from the doorway in protest. “I don't have the time to wait for you to get ready, too.”

“The kid’s going stir crazy, Akari,” Mirai replied. “You won't be gone long, anyways.” She followed with a small wink, as if saying  _ and he won't complain as much when you guys get back.  _

Akari turned in from the doorway to face her mother. The frustration on her face showed she still wasn't convinced. “You just said it yourself that it's dangerous. We don't know when a Number could attack.”

Mirai’s eyes met her daughter’s as she answered. “I think you're capable enough to take care of both of you if that happens. If I didn't, we wouldn't be having this conversation.”

“Fine,” Akari pouted as Yuma cheered. “But hurry up, Yuma. I don't want to be out long.”

***

The sound of car horns blared through Yuma’s ears as he held on to his sister. She seemed too focused on driving them to the square as quickly as possible to pay the noise any mind, but it was all Yuma could hear. He supposed he should be lucky this was all he was hearing; his vocabulary had gained a hefty list of profanity that had been thrown at him in the past week.

Akari pulled up next to a curb and put down her kickstand. “Don't wander off in the market, got it? I don't want to know what kind of trouble  _ he’ll  _ cause.” An accusatory finger guided to Astral as Yuma quietly nodded.

The two soon found, however, that was easier said than done as they entered the building.

“Hold it.”  The clerk at the storefront called out sharply.  He made his way around the counter but kept a sizable distance between himself and Astral.  “I’m not letting that  _ thing _ into my shop.”

Yuma started to protest, but Akari cut him off.  “It’s fine. He can stay outside. Right, Yuma?”

“I guess so, but I’m not really supposed to...” He looked over at Astral, who was floating behind him.  His head was darting ever which way, as if searching for something. Yuma looked back to Akari. “Yeah, I can stay out here.  I’ll hang out with Astral and you can get the eggs.”

“I don't have a choice. I’ll be in there for five minutes. If anything happens while I'm gone, call. Or scream.” She looked away awkwardly for a second. “Calling works better. Got it?”

“Yeah!” Yuma answered, liking the opportunity to be outside alone.

He stretched on a nearby bench, taking in the fresh air. It wasn't complete freedom, but it was something. And Yuma would take what he could get.

“Seems like forever since we've been able to do something like this. Right, Astral?” The boy’s peaceful expression saddened as he looked up at his friend; a harsh reminder of their situation.

Astral’s skin was starting to regain color, flashing faintly as the air darkened. His dull face started to gain urgency as he progressively darted around the space encircling Yuma. The change in atmosphere had not just been apparent to the pair on this bench, but also to the citizens of Heartland that were gathering in the square to look at the sky.

A panic rushed over the crowd when a now-familiar siren went off. Yuma felt his own adrenaline rushing, looking for a place to hide, or his sister, or both, as Astral hovered higher in the air.

“ _ Yuma! _ ”

Yuma didn't have time to react to the scream before Akari darted towards him, grabbing her brother as fast as she could. 

“Come on. We need to get shelter. Now.”

She had a death grip on his wrist, but no matter how hard she pulled, he was stuck in the same place.

Astral froze above them, eyes widening as his body started to glow with his arms out.  

“It's coming.”

_ Oh no, oh no oh no oh no oh no.  _ Yuma rushed to several buildings amongst the crowd with his sister, only to be met with screams. 

“What is that… that thing with you!?”

“It's the Number! Keep him out!”

“He’ll kill us all!”

As they stood in the open square, Yuma felt his body go ice cold. Despite Akari’s cries, the only thing he heard was a deep rumble from the ground behind him, progressively getting louder - stronger - as he realized something was approaching him.

He tried to run but something - it felt like a tie to Astral, but nothing was there - kept him from moving. “Akari, I… I can't move. I think I'm stuck to Astral.”

“ _ Fuck, _ ” Akari whispered under her breath. The rumbling was still getting louder in the distance. “Take it off.”

“But-”

“Take it off or I'll do it for you,” she said as she reached for the key and pulled it off herself. “I know it hurts, but you'll have to deal with it if you don't want to-”

Harsh coughs emerged from Yuma’s throat. His torso seemed to be collapsing as if he was suffocating. He desperately clawed for the key, causing Akari to reluctantly give it back as she realized he couldn't breathe without it.

_ This can't be happening.  _ He could see the monster over the buildings now. A massive three headed dog - he thought his friend Alit told him those were called Cerberus?- with a body engulfed in flames was butting against the domes, setting fire to everything in its path. Its mouths foamed with something like lava, pooling below it and melting the concrete.  The dome was holding up, however...which only served to send the beast into an angrier frenzy. The air was thick with smoke, screams, and the rumbling growls of the beast. Astral’s dull, monotone voice cut through it with simple statement.

“We have to go.”

“Astral, please,” Yuma whimpered. “Astral, this isn't like you. Please don't make me -”

A loud roar emerged from the beast, making Yuma turn his head. It had stopped two blocks away and was now focused on angrily pawing at something in the sky… was that a person?

While Yuma wanted to use this opportunity to run, Astral was more forceful. He aggressively flew down the street to the Number, Yuma forced to follow suit as he sobbed.

“Astral,” Yuma tried to choke out again.  The smoke was getting thicker and his sobs were growing stronger.  His limbs felt heavy. He just wanted to stop.

Akari darted close behind the two. Yuma could vaguely hear her screams, but he was too wrapped in his own distress to acknowledge it. 

If Astral heard or sensed anything from Yuma, he gave no indication.  He continued to drag Yuma toward the Cerberus, close enough now that Yuma could see what was going on in the air.

A young man in white was flying above a nearby dome and around the creature’s heads, impossibly fast and agile as he dodged the swiping paws and dancing flames.  The metallic wings on his back flashed brightly as he veered about, making the Number squint and snarl in discomfort. The man shot small projectiles at the creature from all sides.  They appeared to be arrows of some kind, or maybe bolts, and more often than not they struck true. 

The Number staggered backward as it was assaulted.  Yuma screamed as its massive paw grew closer; he still couldn’t move for being rooted to Astral.  He was going to die. He was going to be crushed, and there was nothing he could do, he couldn’t take the key off, Astral was too busy glowing over there to-

The flash of light as the creature burst was blinding.  One second it was there, the next, gone. It had vaporized, somehow, the only traces of it the flames it left behind.  Yuma broke into full-bodied tremors as he fell to his knees. He barely registered the ongoing screams of the crowd, or Astral gliding over to him, or Astral’s calm statement that “the elimination was a success.”

Yuma’s stupor was broken when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him.  Akari. He leaned into his sister’s touch, shakes starting to subside despite-or maybe because of-her scolding sobs.

A surprised look came across Akari’s face as she got a better look at the monster’s assailant, as if she’d seen him before. Taking this as a cue, Yuma inclined his head to watch the figure descending before him. Voice shaking, he called out.

“Who… who are you?”

The young man looked down at Yuma for a second before answering. “I'm Kaito Tenjo, the Number Hunter. And you're coming with me.”


	4. Recoup

“You're not taking him  _ anywhere, _ ” Akari snapped, holding her brother close. “What the hell do you think you're doing, Kaito?”

Kaito glanced at Akari dismissively, deciding that it wasn't worth the effort to remember who she was.  He turned to Yuma instead.

Akari postured forward. “I’m talking to you.”

Ignoring her still, Kaito activated a device on his wrist. A holographic screen appeared above it; Kaito’s fingers glided across it seemingly at random, inputting some sort of message.  Before Akari could begin to read it, Kaito had powered the device down and was reaching out to Yuma.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“I don’t-” Yuma started.

Akari swatted Kaito’s hand away.  The man’s gaze was icy when he turned it to Akari, and his voice even colder.  “You aren’t involved with this. Don’t interfere.”

“He’s my  _ brother _ .” Akari grabbed Yuma’s wrist. “So I’m involved.  I’m gonna ask you again: What do you want with him, Kaito?”

Kaito closed his eyes tightly for a moment and clenched his jaw.  When he collected himself, his words were deliberate. “I don’t have the time to explain. I--you know what, never mind, I’ll just take-”

“What are you-”

“ _ Fuck _ !”  Kaito’s shout mingled with a sharp hiss.  He looked down at his hand. His glove, designed for Numbers combat, had been burned clean through when he had tried to take hold of Astral.  His fingers and palm were bright red, throbbing with pain.  _ What the hell was that thing? _

Akari’s gaze shifted from the being floating stock-still beside Yuma back to Kaito.  Before she could open her mouth, though, Kaito had grabbed Yuma again. 

“I’ll bring him back later.  This thing’s dangerous. We need to go.”  

Yuma made little resistance as he was pulled away.  His eyes were fixed on Astral, but barely seeing him.  He heard but didn’t register some more shouts from Akari and Kaito, and soon he was rising into the air with Kaito, Astral in tow.

Akari sighed as she activated a tracking device on Yuma--one of many that their parents had placed in his clothing upon the Numbers’ revival--and ran back to her bike. She pulled out her phone and began following the signal as fast as she could. 

“Dad, don't freak out but something happened.”

***

Yuma was too scared to talk as he glided through the air with Kaito; part of him felt he might be dropped if he dared talk back. The ground below them started looking familiar, though, as they approached their destination.

When Kaito landed in front of the Arclight mansion, Yuma was finally freed from his grasp. Scared out of his mind still, he found a rush of adrenaline from everything that finally allowed him to speak up.

“First my sister knows you, now you're taking me to the Arclights. Who  _ are  _ you and why do you know my family!?” The child’s shaking body counteracted his firm posturing, and Kaito definitely noticed. 

A scoff left the young man’s mouth as he tightly grabbed Yuma’s wrist. “I'm not interested in you, kid. I’m interested in that thing of yours that wiped out the Number like it was nothing.” Astral simply floated emotionlessly as Kaito gestured to him. “Now come on. They're already expecting us.”

Yuma struggled against the vice grip as the door opened.

“Kaito, what is it that's so--” Christopher cut off mid sentence in surprise as he faced the child. “Yuma?”

“Chris, what's going on? Who is this?” Yuma cried in response, scared and confused. 

Chris stepped back, gesturing to the three. “Come in. I'll introduce you two and explain everything.”

The fair light from the setting sun in the hallways of the Arclight mansion used to be a familiar sight to Yuma in his childhood; one that comforted him as he'd play tag with the younger two of the brothers while their older siblings and fathers talked. But now, everything - the hollow footsteps, the uncertainty at what was happening, the distinct feeling of being followed, being  _ watched - _ all came together to make him feel anything but comfortable. 

“I'm sorry you had to get involved under such harsh circumstances, Yuma,” Christopher finally said in a monotone voice as the group approached the laboratory. “We were planning on approaching you eventually on much less sudden terms with your father, but Kaito beat us to it.” 

The statement did little, if anything, to quell the boy’s fears.

“Father, Kaito is here.” The door to the lab finally opened as Christopher changed the subject. “He brought the creature he mentioned, but that's not all.”

Yuma peered over Chris’s side as they walked in to see his dad - Mr. Arclight, as Yuma knew him - sitting in a chair at a desk and covered in bandage

The room was wide and spacious, with stark white walls and fluorescent lights. A few sparse doors to storage units lined the walls, along with some graphs detailing the anatomy of things Yuma did not recognize. Desks and shelves were placed with notable distance between them, everything put firmly in place. Everything felt toxically sterile, as if it was a research sanitorium rather than a room in one’s house. It suddenly made sense why Yuma was never allowed to be in here as a child; just standing in this space made him feel as if he had an illness that gave him just weeks to live.

Byron turned to meet the party gathered in the doorway, a look of surprise coming over his face. “Yuma? But we were planning to get more information before talking with you..” Expression growing serious, he looked towards Chris. “Contact Kazuma. He needs to be here for th-”

“That won't be necessary. He's already on his way,” a voice called from the hallway. Akari quickly entered, barging her way to the center of the lab. “Before he gives you guys answers, though, I want the answers to mine and Yuma’s questions. We deserve that much.”

“I understand,” Chris responded. 

“First thing’s first,” Akari started as she crossed her arms. “Kaito, what are you doing and why did you think it was necessary to kidnap my brother?”

“I have no interest in  _ him,”  _ Kaito scoffed in retaliation. “As I said before, I'm interested in that thing that follows him around and wiped out the Number I was hunting in one shot.”

“...He didn't know about Astral,” Chris elaborated. “As I said to Yuma before, we were discussing with your father that we wanted to observe Astral’s behavior upon becoming solid more before involving Yuma in this. Kaito just happened to find out about Astral on his own and acted in accordance.”

Yuma stepped forward hesitantly. “Akari, who is this guy? And how do you know him?”

Akari looked at her younger in surprise for a second before remembering in the heat if what happened earlier he was never given a clear answer. “Oh, you were too young when things happened to have met him before. Yuma, this is Kaito Tenjo. His father used to research with Dad and Mr. Arclight until a few years ago.” Her gaze turned to meet the young man. “I thought your father forbade you from communicating with the Arclights, though.”

Kaito brushed a lock of hair as he turned away. “Getting crushed to death and eaten tends to change your mind about things.”

A tense silence fell over the room for a second that felt like hours. 

“What Kaito is trying to say,” Chris started in a reserved tone, “is that his father was a victim of the first Number attack. He approached us shortly afterward wanting to work together on stopping them.” He gestured towards Akari. “That's why your father handles the siren system now. It’s helped relieve some of Kaito’s burdens so he can process research and focus on hunting more efficiently.”

“I see..” Akari answered before walking towards Kaito. “I’m sorry, I didn't kno-”

“I don't want your pity,” Kaito coldly responded.

The tension once again elevated in the room for a few moments, until a voice called out.

“Akari? Yuma? What's going on?” The voice was partnered with knocks on the lab door, fast and with a distinct rhythm. “Byron, what's the meaning of this?”

Christopher ran to the door and opened it. “Ah, Kazuma. We've been expecting you.”

A tall, broad figure burst into the room.  Before he could speak, though, Yuma had made a beeline for his father.

“ _ Dad _ !” he cried, wrapping his arms around Kazuma’s midsection.  “Dad, it was so crazy, I’m sorry I made mom let me go out, Akari-”

Kazuma hugged his son tightly.  “Slow down, Yuma. I’m just glad you and your sister are in one piece.”  He beckoned Akari over and pulled her into a brief hug as well before stepping back and asking,  “So. From the top. What happened after the Number showed up?”

Akari and Yuma relayed the story, with a few interjections from Kaito.  Kazuma murmured in affirmation throughout, eyes darting toward Astral every now and again.  By the end of the story, he had made up his mind about his next course of action. 

Kazuma walked to the center of the room, Yuma still clinging to his arm.  Astral was hovering stock-still, his glassy blue body bright against the clinical white of the room’s fixtures.  Kazuma had kept a close eye on the being each day since the Numbers had returned, but had never seen him glow in the fashion he was now, pulsating faintly to some unknown rhythm.

Kazuma glaceded toward Byron and Chris meaningfully.  The two nodded, and Kazuma spoke.

“Hey, Astral.”  He waved.

Astral made no indication he had seen, continuing to look forward vacantly.  “Hello.”

“I want to ask you some questions, if that’s alright."

“Yes, that is fine.  I will answer to the best of my ability.”

“So, I hear today there was quite a commotion.  A monster appeared.” Kazuma paused, gauging Astral’s reaction--or lack thereof.  “A Number.”

Astral’s eyes turned alert, flicking toward Kazuma.  Kazuma met the opaque stare directly.

“Number 14: Greedy Sarameya.”  Astral responded. “It has been eliminated successfully.”

“By you.”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“By utilizing its data, I destroyed it in the most efficient manner possible.”

“And what is this data, Astral?” 

“My mission data.”

Kazuma paused, seeming to mull something over.  When he spoke up again, his voice had a controlled levelness.

“Does this have to do with your...new appearance?”

“My form has changed to better suit the active phase of the mission, yes.”

“What exactly is this mission?”  

“My mission is to destroy the Numbers,” Astral flatly answered. 

“And for what purpose?” Kazuma followed up, voice still calm.

“To protect those living against the Ultimate Threat,” was Astral’s response. 

“Ultimate Threat?”

“The Ultimate Threat’s data was not provided to me when tasked with my mission. I will simply know when it appears and destroy it on impact.” Astral’s eyes glossed over as he recited this information.

Kaito stepped forward at this information. “Does that mean there is something more dangerous than the Numbers we have to worry about?”

“The Ultimate Threat’s data was not provided to me when tasked with my mission. I will simply know when it appears and destroy it on impact.” 

The room temperature felt as if it spiked from the anxiety of this revelation, everyone hesitantly looking at one another as Astral hovered still in the same way he always did. 

“Has… anything come up like this in your guys’ research?” Christopher hesitantly asked as he looked at Akari and Kaito.

“The town’s historical database is locked tight,” Akari nervously answered. “I've managed to find some tidbits here and there about humanoid monsters that fight along with the Numbers every few cycles, but nothing about an Ultimate Threat.”

“If we had known about this, I surely would have been trained to fight it,” Kaito answered in turn. “This is the first time I've heard of anything like it.”

Yuma leaned into his father’s arm for support as the room seemed to further distort in anxiety and fear. It felt as if the world were falling apart then and there, as if nothing mattered before their own inevitable obliteration. As the dizziness from the fear blurred his vision, he noticed a strange liquid pooling on the floor near Astral.

“Astral? What's that?” He asked as he pointed shakily to it. 

“That is Astrite. It is the excess energy produced by my body after a target has been successfully eliminated.”

“Excess…” Christopher mumbled to himself, getting an idea. “Does that mean it’s the same energy you use to eliminate the Numbers?”

“Affirmative.”

Chris grabbed a beaker and a pair of gloves and proceeded to kneel near Astral. He soon filled one, then two, then five vials with the strange liquid as it continued to pour out of the creature’s body.

“Astral, if it is all right, I would like to research this substance so that we may help you with your mission.”

The being stayed still as it remained in a suspended float. “I do not need help with my mission. However, you may do what you like with my excess.”

A sight of panic flashed on Kaito’s face at this statement. “Chris, do you have any idea what you're saying? You don't know what that thing’s DNA will do.”

“I understand your concern, Kaito,” Byron chimed in as he stepped forward. “But this research will be different than what your father did. After all,” Byron slowly lifted up his bandage, showing a small glimpse of the what lie underneath. What before looked like an infected cut had now spread to make the entire left half of his head completely reddish-purple; the flesh swollen and pulsating as a thin, clear membrane shined in the light. “Christopher has a subject with Number DNA that consents to being studied for this goal.”

“It would help you more than anyone,” Christopher turned to put a reassuring hand on Kaito’s shoulder. Despite his standoffish nature, Kaito didn't reject the gesture. “If we could utilize Astrite as a weapon, it would help you significantly in Number Hunting. It could even be the key in getting Haruto to wake up.”

Kaito turned away. “...Fine. But nothing goes into Haruto without my say so. I don't want anything happening until we have undeniable proof it will help him.”

“Understood,” Chris smiled confidently. “We’ll focus our research on utilizing it as a weapon first. All information will be sent directly to you so you can see it for yourself.”

“I can watch over as you research,” Kazuma added. “Another set of eyes is better to make sure nothing goes awry.”

As the conversation went on between the older men, Akari turned to Kaito. “Hey.” Kaito looked up hesitantly as Akari continued. “Your family’s been studying the Numbers for generations, right?”

Kaito glanced back hesitantly. “Yes, we have.”

“I'm trying to find a connection to the Numbers through Heartland’s history.” Akari casually leaned against a wall. “By chance, would you happen to have any family journals about the subject? The mayor makes accessing historical records impossible.”

“That's a forward question to ask,” Kaito replied bluntly. After a moment, he sighed. “...They'll be better off with you, anyways. I hate looking at them.”

“Excellent,” Akari smiled. “When should I come by to pick them up?”

As Yuma listened to the conversations buzzing around, an uneasy feeling came over him. Experimenting with Astral’s DNA… was it really okay? The boy couldn't help but get a bad feeling for what was to come, that everyone was getting in over their heads.

“Everything okay, Yuma?”

He looked up as he saw his father’s hand land on his shoulder. Kazuma gave a bright, reassuring smile down at the boy. 

“...Yeah.”

“Don't worry. If anything bad happens, we’ll stop immediately and make a new plan.” The corners of Kazuma’s eyes relaxed in a way that radiated sincerity; a calming presence that let Yuma know he was telling the truth. “Astral’s being cooperative as well. He can help us fix things if something goes wrong.”

Yuma smiled. “Yeah.”

Kazuma stretched his arms. “You don't have to be in this room while we research. You can stay with Thomas and Michael and we'll call for you if we need you.”

Some of Yuma’s fear started to dissipate as he leaned against his father. Slowly but surely, it was starting to feel as if things were going to be okay.

Akari came over to the two as the planning dwindled down. “I’m going to stop by Heartland Tower to get the first batch of journals from Kaito. Can you take Yuma home, dad?”

Kazuma responded with an assuring wink. “Of course. I'll tell your mom you'll be back later.”

Christopher found his way to the center of the gathered party. “From here, we’re good to disband for the night. We’ll start putting our established plans into place immediately.”

“Roger,” Kazuma answered. “I’ll see you and Byron bright and early tomorrow.”

Everyone soon went their separate ways, a new feeling of purpose at the uncertainty and danger that lied ahead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lack of updates. I've mentioned it on other social media, but I had a really severe depression spell that made it hard for me to do anything, even post these finished chapters. I'm feeling a lot better now, though.


End file.
